Yitz Goldberg is a news writer and editor for Arutz Sheva-Israel National News. He has degrees in communications and Middle Eastern studies.
There is a lot of excitement over the plan that President Donald Trump laid out this week for the Gaza Strip. Sure, it is rather justified, who wouldn’t want to live in an American colony just an hour away from Jerusalem?
It’s not hard to imagine a shopping trip at the Khan Yunis Walmart, picking up a bite to eat and a cup of coffee at the Dunkin’ on Salah al-Din Road, or playing a round of golf or poker at the Trump International Resort and Casino in Rimal. But realistically speaking and with an understanding of the Middle East – as well as the US government and President – we must be careful not to be too enthusiastic.
Everyone remembers the Deal of the Century. On paper, it seemed like a dream (although many right-wing Israelis disagreed with it)—but in reality, that’s how it remained—a dream on paper. While Trump may be known for following through on almost every promise, idea, and plan that he comes up with, there are times when he comes up with an idea so grandiose that even he can’t follow through on it. That’s what happened with the Deal of the Century – which was dropped pretty quickly for the Abraham Accords; that’s what happened with his idea to annex Greenland – which was dropped once during his first term and will most probably be dropped again soon; and that’s what will probably happen, unfortunately, with this plan as well.
There are several reasons that this plan is unfortunately not the most realistic. Let’s start with the fact that Trump hasn’t really presented a practical plan but rather a very general idea. He hasn’t really said where the residents of Gaza will be relocated to, what will be built in Gaza, who will live there in the end, and maybe most importantly – who will pay for it. I doubt the citizens of the United States – certainly not Trump’s base, which advocates for the reduction of government spending and foreign intervention, would be really happy about paying the large sums needed to implement this plan.
From how it sounds, at least at the moment, not only is the idea not fully baked – there isn’t even a recipe for it yet. Trump and his people have been talking in very general terms – and when they do mention the more intricate details – they end up contradicting themselves.
It’s important to remember that Trump is not here for Israel; he is here for the US (or himself depending on who you ask). If at any moment, Trump understands that the plan does not serve American interests, he will drop it like a hot potato. Add the fact that Trump already has less than four years in office, and there’s little doubt that this plan would take much more than that to implement. Even if the President manages to begin the implementation of the plan, it is difficult to imagine that his successor, no matter from which party, would succeed in completing it.
And maybe the main factor that unfortunately makes the plan seem like a far-off dream: the fact that other than much of Israel and part of the US, there is hardly anyone who would support it.
The Europeans would reject the plan for humanitarian reasons (not to mention their internalized antisemitism). In the US there is opposition to the plan as well, be it for humanitarian reasons or an opposition to intervention in foreign affairs. And even many on the Israeli left (and possibly the Prime Minister himself, although he expresses support) oppose such a bold break from the status quo.
The Arab and Muslim worlds object to the plan and will refuse to take in Gazans, both because they see them as second-class Arabs who foment trouble, they don’t want to do anything positive for Israel, and they still are not able to give up on what they see as Arab/Muslim lands.
And of course, more than anyone else, the Palestinian Arabs, or at least the loud ones with the bombs, guns, and torture devices, will reject the plan, no matter how good it may be for them, for those same reasons.
Trump’s idea is great and offers a bold alternative to solutions that would never work. However, it fails to understand that there are values that are stronger than money and prosperity; values such as antisemitism, nationalism, and religious zeal. That there are people who would rather live in a bomb-filled hellhole than give up on those values. Trump is making the same mistake as those who thought they could buy quiet from Gaza with Qatari cash and work permits – those who received a rude awakening on October 7th, 2023.
Even if all the Gazans would leave Gaza, and even if most of them would happily accept their new reality, there will always be those who will not give up on their vision of erasing the Jewish state and people.